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Lakewood by Megan Giddings The premise: To help support her family, Lena accepts a lucrative position as a research subject for the mysterious Lakewood Project.
What happens next: Subjected to reality-bending experiments, Lena and her fellow participants -- all people of color -- grapple with the physical and psychological ramifications of a dehumanizing system.
Why you might like it: With ties to real-life medical horrors like the Tuskegee syphilis experiment, this chilling own voices debut offers a thought-provoking exploration of structural racism in healthcare. | | The Return by Rachel Harrison Two years ago: Elise's best friend, Julie, disappeared without a trace.
Now: An emaciated Julie returns with no memory of where she's been. Eager for a reunion, Elise and her two other best friends plan a girls' weekend at a remote Catskills hotel.
What could possibly go wrong? Julie's amnesia is the least of the group's problems, as they soon discover their kitschy hideaway is harboring malevolent forces that seem eerily connected to Julie's horrifying (and rapidly deteriorating) physical state. | | The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix Starring: bored housewife Patricia Campbell, whose sole respite from her stifling life in 1990s suburban Charleston is her true crime book club.
The monster next door: When sunlight-averse James Harris moves into the neighborhood, Patricia's suspicions are dismissed as flights of fancy. But when children start disappearing, it's up to Patricia to convince her book club to help her stop James before it's too late.
Media buzz: At turns horrifying and heartwarming, this gruesome New York Times bestseller is set for a TV adaptation at Amazon Studios. | | Snow, Glass, Apples by Neil Gaiman; illustrated by Colleen Doran What it is: a creepy graphic novel reimagining of "Snow White" told from the queen's point of view.
Read it for: the clever role reversal -- Snow White is a villainous vampire; the queen, her terrified would-be slayer.
Art alert: Colleen Doran's elegant art nouveau-inspired illustrations offer a lush homage to early 20th-century stained glass artist Harry Clarke.
Winner, Superior Achievement in a Graphic Novel | | The Luminous Dead by Caitlin Starling What it's about: Having lied about her credentials to secure a coveted spot on a cavern-mapping expedition, Gyre Price discovers that her employers haven't been entirely honest with her, either.
Nevertheless... Gyre's survival depends on her "topside" handler, Em, who reveals little about herself beyond her ability to control every aspect of Gyre's life-sustaining high-tech caving suit.
Why you might like it: Part psychological thriller, part horror-tinged SF, this debut introduces a pair of flawed protagonists whose complicated relationship develops against a claustrophobic subterranean backdrop.
Nominee, Superior Achievement in a First Novel | |
Contact your librarian for more great books!
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